dave4001
Illinois
Full Member
Joined: 05/04/2005
View Profile
 Offline
|
In the news lately they have been saying you should replace tires after 6 years (of course I heard it here first). This is due to rot I guess.
My 25' E350 has plenty of tire tread but they are 8 years old. I am thinking of replacing just the 2 fronts and leaving the 4 rears alone. My theory is that if a rear blows, the tire next to it will keep me on the road and I can save some money. OK?
This thing did blow a front tire once (previous owner) and the steel belts tore up the paint on the passenger door, so I need to paint the thing some day.
Dave
|
Clemkad
Boston area, Massachusetts, USA
Senior Member
Joined: 11/14/2002
View Profile
Offline
|
dave4001,
All I can say is do a search in the Class C forum for "blowout". There are lot's of threads about blowouts including by me.
After my experience, I plan to replace the tires every 5-6 years. My recommendation to you is to replace all >>7<<, including the spare, now.
2000 Coachmen Santara Class C 315QB
2002 Dodge Neon SXT
|
TonyMin
Walnut Creek CA
Senior Member
Joined: 01/25/2005
View Profile
|
I am one of those threads. I bought my '98 C in March. It had two new front tires and probably the original rears. Even my tire guy thought the rears were ok for another year when he looked at them to install the long Borg tire valves.
On our second trip, after 35 miles the right rear inner tire blew out severing my propane line. I noticed the hissing sound before any real danger level was reached but it made me get new rear tires and have a plumber install a hard piped propane line instead of the soft copper one the coach manufacturer used.
Good luck, you and your family may need it.
I got Hankook tires, $99 installed at Big O tires, not bad for peace of mind.
'98 Shasta Cheyenne 280 highrise, widebody
|
Rhonda K.
Smyrna,GA 30080
Senior Member
Joined: 08/04/2004
View Profile
|
The tires on our motorhome "looked" perfectly fine. Key word, "looked:. After getting a blowout on a major highway in Atlanta on a Friday, we replaced all the tires. The blowout put a hole under the side dinette and cut the furnance line.
Rhonda & Scott
Tasia & her Barbie fishing pool
1978 Tioga 24'
2005 Stingray 185
|
HiTech
SE Michigan
Senior Member
Joined: 03/22/2002
View Profile
Offline
|
A blowout on a motorhome, especially in the rear, often causes thousands of dollars of damages. The huge steel belts whip around like a giant metal weed eater, ripping up the motorhome. The front is typically a lot stronger on a class C, and look what it did up there. Imagine that same force hitting tanks, water lines, fiberglass, electrical wiring...etc.
When replacing tires I always replace rubber tire stems with metal. Mine are from Tire Man. I plan to replace the rubber seals on the valve stems from now on. Some blowouts come failure of the wimpy valve stems.
Jim
2002 Gulfstream Conquest Class C
Rolling wired and wireless network
|
|
|
RowdyJ
Rock Hill, SC USA
New Member
Joined: 11/08/2004
View Profile
Offline
|
By all means, spring for the new tires! I made the same mistake as it seems a lot have, not replacing a "good looking" tire. Outside rear right blew at 65mph, ripped out the propane line to the fridge, ripped up two storage compartments and the gear in them, and I felt lucky it didn't tear up more. That was two months after buying an older unit, but it has "7" new treads after that weekend. 
|
JeF4y
Sussex, WI, USA
Senior Member
Joined: 05/12/2004
View Profile
Offline
|
Scary... My tire service covers them for 7 years and will replace any failed tire and repair damage. However, I think I'll opt for replacement in 2010 when they hit the 5yr mark.
It is not until you've lost everything, that you can truly gain anything.
2005 Gulfstream Endura 6316 Duramax
23' Pace American hauling my race bikes
http://www.cbr600rr.com
|
Bordercollie
Garden Grove, CA, USA
Senior Member
Joined: 03/07/2002
View Profile
Offline
|
Interstingly, this subject is in the news recently, tire makers are considering printing the date that tires are made on passenger and SUV tires now and people are being urged to replace tires every six years. The weakest safety point on a motorhome is the tires. A blowout or tread separation with flailing steel belt can sever and ignite propane lines and burn the whole thing down not to mention possible loss of control. You have to ask yourself, if tires are five years old, how much money are you saving by waiting another year to buy a new set, is it worth the risk. We had a nice looking outer rear tire come apart and the belt wiped out the grey water holding tank and dump valve assembly. It just missed the propane lines. We spent a long weekend in Puyallup, WA waiting for the "RV Medic" to fix the tanks etc and paid top dollar for tires on the road. Tread depth and new appearance don't mean a thing.
|
HELE ON HALE
Part time from Kona
New Member
Joined: 05/12/2005
View Profile
|
I don't take any chances. I wont run caps or old tires. the damage that can and does happen when a tire blows is far greater then the cost of new tires. plus the value of safety.
Coffee Farmer
COFFEE FARMER
2003 Granit Ridge 31ss
1998 sidekick
|
stripit
Clinton Twp, MI
Senior Member
Joined: 02/24/2004
View Profile
|
dave4001;
Has any of these posts changed your orignal thoughts about only 2 new tires???
Stacey Frank
'04 Mobile Suites 36 TK3 #1341
'99 Int'l 4700 Lo Pro MDT
'04 PT Turbo
'Direcway satellite
|
|
|
